Design: Rooftop glasshouse (BE)

EdenParks designed gigantic rooftop greenhouse

Research and exhibition of vegetable growing with which the Flemish Research Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture Inagro further connects with the logistics sector and the consumer.

Team Van Bergen Kolpa Architecten with Meta, Wageningen UR, Smiemans Projecten and Technum Engineers have won the design competition for this food research center in Roeselare.

The Green Hub

The research center is realized on the roof of the crate warehouse of fruit and veg auction REO. This greenhouse with the name AGROTOPIA will be the landmark of 'The Green Hub' at the Roeselare ring road. The project is to be an example for urban food production, intensive use of space, circular energy and water usage and sustainability in greenhouse horticulture.

The 9,500 m² building comprises high-tech research facilities for the cultivation of fruit and leafy vegetables, surrounded by an educational routing for a wider audience. The entry, with wide stairs, leads to the Urban Farming Square with visitor facilities. In the so-called Façade Greenhouse at the ring road, there is a special department that will focus on innovation in vertical farming.

Biggest European rooftop greenhouse at Belgian fruit and veg auction

"We are very pleased with this ambitious project and the clients; Inagro and REO Auction show that professional food production can be connected to the city," says architect Jago van Bergen, director of Van Bergen Kolpa Architecten. "For this project, we further perfected the most durable and user-friendly Venlo greenhouse," says Jeroen Smiemans, director of Smiemans Projecten.

Urban horticulture

"This will be a major upscaling in the application of urban horticulture on roofs: the biggest in Europe, which we will gladly apply our know-how to," says Jan Willem de Vries, team leader of facility management at Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture. "The climate design offers new, innovative opportunities for sustainable energy use," says Tineke Duysburgh of Technum Engineers. "A true public building for the city of Roeselare," says Niklaas Deboutte of Meta Architectuurbureau.

The Green Hub

The research center is realized on the roof of the crate warehouse of fruit and veg auction REO. This greenhouse with the name AGROTOPIA will be the landmark of 'The Green Hub' at the Roeselare ring road. The project is to be an example for urban food production, intensive use of space, circular energy and water usage and sustainability in greenhouse horticulture.

The 9,500 m² building comprises high-tech research facilities for the cultivation of fruit and leafy vegetables, surrounded by an educational routing for a wider audience. The entry, with wide stairs, leads to the Urban Farming Square with visitor facilities. In the so-called Façade Greenhouse at the ring road, there's a special department that will focus on innovation in vertical farming.

Biggest European rooftop greenhouse at Belgian auction

Construction of the greenhouse on the roof of a fruit and veg auction started early 2019. In the beginning of 2020 this biggest rooftop greenhouse will be open to growers, researchers and the general public.

"We are very pleased with this ambitious project and the clients; Inagro and REO Auction show that professional food production can be connected to the city," says architect Jago van Bergen, director of Van Bergen Kolpa Architecten.

Urban horticulture

"This will be a major upscaling in the application of urban horticulture on roofs: the biggest in Europe, which we will gladly apply our know-how to," says Jan Willem de Vries, team leader of facility management at Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture. "The climate design offers new, innovative opportunities for sustainable energy use," says Tineke Duysburgh of Technum Engineers. "A true public building for the city of Roeselare," says Niklaas Deboutte of Meta Architectuurbureau.

"For this project, we further perfected the most durable and user-friendly Venlo greenhouse,"